A poor woodcutter lived in a forest with his little son, Hansel, and his daughter, Gretel. His wife died when the children were very small, and the woodcutter married again. His new wife did not like Hansel and Gretel at all. She was waiting to get rid of them.
One day when the woodcutter came to sleep, weary and worried, she spoke to him sweetly and asked him what was worrying him.
“There’s no food left and no money to buy anything,” said the woodcutter, “How can we look after the children? We can’t even look after ourselves!”
What the woodcutter and his wife did not know was that Hansel and Gretel were lying awake because they were so hungry. They heard all that was said and sat up in fright.
“I know how to make things better,” suggested his wicked wife, “Let us go tomorrow to the forest. When we are far enough inside it, we will leave the children there and return to the house! They can live in the forest, and we shall have enough for ourselves.”
The woodcutter was upset. But the woman persuaded him to agree. He consoled himself thinking that the children would eat fruits and nuts in the forest and survive somehow, ignoring the thought of all the wild animals there.
Hansel told Gretel to keep quiet, and whispered, “Don’t be frightened! I’ll find a way to help.”
He crept out of the cottage and stuffed white pebbles into his pockets and into a little bag that he was carrying. He hurried back into his room and soon the children were fast asleep.
Early morning the woodcutter and his wife woke the children up. “Hurry up, children!” said the woman, “We must collect a lot of firewood from the forest. Here’s some bread for lunch.” And the family left to go into the forest.
Whenever no one was looking at him, Hansel dropped a white pebble as they walked along. They walked deep into the forest. The woman made them sit down on a log while she and her husband collected wood.
Hansel and Gretel watched them getting further and further away. Hansel kept listening till he could not hear the sound of the axe any more. Gretel was frightened. So, Hansel gave her a hug. Then he held her hand and began looking for the white pebbles he had dropped on the way in the moonlight.
Following the pebbles, the two little children reached home by morning. The woman was shocked to see them return, but said, “Why, you naughty children! You slept off in the forest, didn’t you?” Hansel and Gretel looked at their father who looked happy and relieved to see them back.
That night, Hansel heard the woman tell his father that the next day they would take them deeper into the forest. He crept once more to the door but he found to his dismay that it was locked! He couldn’t collect pebbles.
The little boy went back and wondered what he would do in the morning. But he hugged Gretel so that she might not be frightened. They were woken up in the morning and given a loaf of bread. “Come on, children; we have to go to the forest!” said the woman.
The family walked deeper into the forest that day. Hansel and Gretel crumbled the bread and dropped it along the way as they walked. The same thing happened that day. When the children, hungry and tired, fell asleep, the woman took her husband and came back home, abandoning them.
The children woke up and looked around at the dark forest. They began to look for the crumbs they had dropped by the wayside. But the squirrels and the birds had eaten up the crumbs. They couldn’t find their way home! Large tears fell down Gretel’s cheeks. Hansel said, “Don’t worry, Gretel. Let’s walk. We may find the way on our own perhaps.”
The children kept walking around, completely lost. But they saw a white bird fluttering over them. They began to follow the bird and in a clearing they came upon a charming little house. It was made of cake! They couldn’t believe it— a house made of bread and cakes and windows made of sugar candy!
The two children were starving and they began to break off the bits of the house and eat it. It was delicious. Gretel licked a window and found it incredibly sweet. Suddenly, a woman came out to see who was eating her house. Hansel and Gretel nearly jumped out of their skins with fright!
She was old and bent and walked with the help of a stout stick. She couldn’t see very well, so she peered at the children. She cackled gently and said, “Oh, you dear little ones! How did you come here? Are you lost in the forest? You poor children! Come in! Come in!”
She seated them at the table inside and gave them milk and some sweet pancakes filled with apples and nuts. She led them to clean beds and they were so tired that they fell asleep as soon as they lay down.
The old woman was a witch waiting for children whom she could cook and eat. She lured them with the house made of cake and bread. The children did not know this. But as soon as they fell asleep, she picked up Hansel and locked him in a cage. He yelled and screamed to be let out, but the witch just cackled. His screams woke Gretel up who began to cry.
The witch scolded Gretel and gave her a large bucket to fetch water. Gretel had to work very hard, fetching water, lighting the fire, cleaning and cooking. The witch fed Hansel well, because she was going to eat him. But Gretel got the leftovers and crab-shells only.
Every day, the witch asked Hansel to put out a finger. She wanted to see if he had become plump enough to eat. But clever little Hansel stuck out a small chicken bone each time. She would feel it and find he was not yet ready for cooking.
But the witch was becoming impatient to eat the boy. Finally one day she could wait no longer and said, “It is time to eat the boy! I’ll bake some bread first and then cook him. O Girl, get into the oven and see if it is ready.”
Gretel was clever too. She realized that the witch would shut her in and cook her first if she got into the oven. So, she said, “Into the oven? How does one do that? Could you show me, please?”
“You stupid girl!” grumbled the witch, as she hobbled up to the oven. “Come, I’ll show you.” She opened the door of the oven and put her head right in saying, “See, it’s like this.”
Gretel charged at her and pushed her hard. The witch stumbled into the oven and Gretel slammed the door shut before she could sit up. The witch howled and shrieked, but the flames burnt her to death.
Gretel ran and let Hansel out of the cage and hugged him. Then they opened the large chest full of gold and jewels. They collected as much as they could carry in their pockets and set off home.
They had taken large bits of the bread and cakes from the house. They walked and walked till they saw their home in the distance. Their father was sitting on a bench outside looking miserable. But when he heard their voices and saw them running, he broke into a run and hugged them.
“I’m sorry, my darlings!” he said, “I must have been bewitched by that woman! I searched all over the forest for you. And I thought the animals must have eaten you up. I’ll never let you go again!” he promised. “She’s dead!” he added about his wicked wife. The children smiled at their father and showed him all that they had got from the witch’s house. They lived happily thereafter.
